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1971_M5
Well-Known Member
"One of the ‘benefits’ of Belgian rail is that there are so many delays and rescheduled trains that there's ample time for taking photos." Very funny! Hopefully it's just the trains. We have similar issues with the local transportation system (especially the ferries). Lots of reasons, I suppose. However, the aviation system is pretty amazing in this regard -- considering the volume and the various constraints. I worked in Gent (Oostakker) for a year in 1979. I love Belgium. My experience in Belgium was quite positive. Things were very functional and well-organized at the time. The food and the beer were good, of course! There were several impressive discos in Gent back in those days. Fun. I took a trip from Brussels to Paris on the TGV when I was there (1979) but I can't remember exactly which train station I departed from (the "main" one I suppose). Where is this station located?
1971_M5
Well-Known Member
Interesting! Thanks for the reply. When I was living in Gent (for 1 year) way back then (44 years ago) my apartment/studio was in the middle of the city (Universiteitstraat) and I would ride my bike to work heading north-east via the Dampoort and then along the Antwerpsesteenweg out to the R4 (Eisenhower). The Volvo facility (as it is now) did not exist in 1979, but the company I was working for had started transitioning from horticultural products to the import/export of automobile parts (yes, for Volvo) -- so they more or less laid the groundwork and got that ball rolling. Then, after they achieved some scale, Volvo bought them out and started building the new facilities (as I understand it). Jules Troch PVBA. Although I did some exploring on weekends, I did not normally go to the area where Gent Sint-Pieters station is located. I had a camera, but I suppose not much interest in train shooting at the time (plus, film and printing was expensive!). When we went to Brussels or Antwerp, we would drive. But I played basketball in the evenings (outdoors) at the Watersportbaan complex which is nearby the train station. The discos were all concentrated on the Korenmarkt and Korenlei and around the big churches and Belfort -- lots of places to have fun. The Ghost. And of course the Mystic Lamb (painting). Another story. It was a magical time for a 20 year old.